The Truth Of The Gospel: Justified Only By Faith In Christ

The Truth Of The Gospel: Justified Only By Faith In Christ

Galatians 2:11–21 Lesson 3
Key Verse: 2:16 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 7-31-11

(We) “know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.“ Paul uses the word "justified." In origin, it was a legal term that means "not guilty."
In this part of Galatians chapter two, Paul continued to help the Galatians stand on gospel truth by telling how he courageously rebuked Peter. Paul knew the implication of Peter's action was that the Gentiles were not accepted fully as Christian brothers. More importantly, his actions called the absolute sufficiency of the gospel into question. This problem became an opportunity for all the apostles, including both Peter and Paul, to affirm the fact that we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone. Paul shared his own personal testimony that reveals his secret to living by the truth of the gospel. That truth declares that we are not made righteous by zealously keeping the law, nor by practicing religious ritual. We are made Christian because we have accepted Jesus' death for our sins and Jesus’ resurrection our hope. Through a study of this passage may we challenge cultural patterns that run counter to the Gospel, in our own hearts. May we decide firmly to follow the Gospel, and not just social or religious habit or culture.
Part l: Paul Stood Up For The Truth (11-14)

In this part we find something that is very shocking to our senses, Paul rebuked Peter publicly. Look at verses 11, “When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.” Peter and Paul were both leaders in the early church. Both of them received God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ. They were men of God who had received the Holy Spirit. They received Jesus' calling as apostles and they influenced the early churches more than anyone else. The first half of the book of Acts records mainly what Peter did, and the second half what Paul did. However, when Paul was in Antioch he was a Bible teacher, a short term missionary, whereas Peter was a pillar of the church, a direct successor of Jesus. He was like the bishop of the church. Yet Paul rebuked Peter in public. We may be a little taken back by this….but then again maybe not. In America we seem to have no problem opposing anyone. Even a school boy can stand up and rebuke the President of the USA. The issue that Paul brought up seemed to be regarding some eating fellowship among them…a small matter is seems. But it really was not a small matter for it was regarding a fundamental issue of the Christian faith. Let's see how things went.

One day they were eating together as a church. Look at verses 12-13, “Before certain men came from James, he (Peter) used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.” Peter went to Antioch, where Paul was preaching the gospel and raising disciples among the Gentiles. Maybe he was repeating the favor of Paul’s earlier visit to Jerusalem. At first, Peter ate freely and openly with Paul and the Greek Gentile believers. It must have been a happy time, eating and praising God. Maybe there was some music and testimonials.

Eating fellowship is important to Jesus' people everywhere. It is during this time that we demonstrate acceptance and love. The Lord's Supper did not begin as a formalistic ceremony but as a fellowship meal to remember Jesus' death and confirm gospel faith together. Early Christians ate together with holy joy after worship service. It was a time when all people, both Jew and Gentile converts and seekers would gather together. DuPage UBF does this. They have a fellowship lunch after every Sunday service cooked by either Joy Kim or Sarah Bahn. (We serve fruit and cookies and soda pop.) Prior to eating, DuPage UBF, share one point that they learned from the Sunday service message. They are obviously keeping this early church tradition alive. I am looking forward to the upcoming Bible school at the end of August (25th to 28th). There will, not only be lots of Bible study, prayer and music, but lots of eating fellowship and even a Barbeque one day. Please make plans to come.

Peter knew that he should accept the Gentiles for God had showed him. In Acts 10, we find that the Lord had trained Peter through a vision of all kinds of clean and unclean animals to embrace the Gentiles, preach to them, and eat with them. Acts 10:9-16 reads, “About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." 14"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." 15The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." 16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.”
This dream was not easy for Peter to accept…nor was eating with the Gentiles. Peter was raised as a pious Jewish person. Eating with Gentiles went against the very fiber of his being. He had to overcome deeply held prejudices and accept them as his own brothers and sisters. He had to learn to like Gentile food, which he had never eaten before. (He had always tried to eat kosher food. Some of the ancient Gentile food may have revolted even us today.)

By the Lord's help, Peter overcame his legalistic prejudice and accepted Gentiles from his heart. Before the Judaizers appeared in Antioch, he could obey the truth of God and eat together with the Gentile believers with love and joy. This expressed his acceptance of them in a way that went beyond mere words. Here I remembered Dr. Samuel Lee (the co-founder of our UBF ministry) and the Korean missionaries. When he first came to America, he ate Korean food, every day in his home with gusto. One time he invited a young American man to his home to eat with him. The young man complained about something. Do you know what? He complained that the Korean food was smelly and tasteless. In regards to the smell, he probably was referring to kimchi. Dr. Lee did not get upset with the young man for not liking his food, but he prayed about this. He realized that to eat with American young people, in a joyful, meaningful way, he should learn to eat American food. He decided to like the most typical American food at that time, the McDonald’s Big Mac. He ate one Big Mac and drank one Coke for lunch every day for eight years. In this way he tried, in a very practical way, to demonstrate God’s acceptance of others in his eating habits. American young people loved it. How can you practice acceptance of others believers in regards to your eating habits? Would you eat unknown food in foreign lands, even insects, if Christians in that nation served it to you after church?

Peter was doing well in eating together with the Gentiles in Antioch. However, when men from Jerusalem arrived, representing James, Peter's attitude changed. Look at verses 12-13 again, “Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.” Peter drew back from the Gentiles and began to eat only with Jewish Christians. Paul says it was because Peter was afraid of the circumcision group. When Peter did this, even Barnabas was led astray to do the same thing. Though he didn't intend to, Peter's actions made Gentiles feel that they were not worthy to eat with the Jews--as though they were second-class members of the Christian fellowship. Our influence that we have on others is very important. We do not live in a vacuum. The life choices and the decisions we make concerning life and ministry affects others around us, especially other believers. Peter’s influence and his reaction to the Gentiles were very important. What did Paul do to counteract the influence of Peter’s choice?

Paul publically declared the truth. Look at verse 14. “When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, ‘You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?’” To some, it may have seemed like this whole “eating issue” was not an important matter. But to Paul it was very serious. If Paul ignored this matter, young Gentile coverts would be discouraged, feeling like they could never become full fledged members of the Christian church. The church could have departed from the true gospel. The extensive influence of Antioch would spread to the smaller, scattered house churches and lead them into confusion in how to express their faith. So Paul rebuked Peter in public. It was not easy for Paul to do this. However, it was an unavoidable action to protect gospel faith for the sake of future generations.
Part ll: Paul's Personal Testimony Of Gospel Faith (15-21).
Paul was not emotional in his rebuke of Peter, but truthful, respectful and gospel-centered. He supported his words with his personal testimony. Look at verse 15. “ We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ “ He reminded Peter of an inherent prejudice in the hearts of Jews toward Gentiles. The Jews considered the Gentiles "sinners." It was because they did not have the law and they did not care about the law. The Jews thought the Gentiles were like animals and would go out of their way to avoid them. However, Paul says, (we) "know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. …” (16a) He was speaking from experience. He knew that neither he, nor any other Jewish person, could keep the law. Their prejudice was actually groundless for all people are law breakers, even those who set out to keep the law meticulously. Therefore the Jews were sinners just as much as the Gentiles. Both were destined to die, face God's judgment, and be thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur if they died without knowing the Christ. The only way for both Jews and Gentiles to come to God was through the cross of Jesus.
Paul goes on to explain the “inner mechanics” of liberating Gospel faith. Look at verse 16, (we) “know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.“ Paul uses the word "justified." In origin, it was a legal term that means "not guilty." Paul uses the word "justified" in reference to God. God is the ultimate judge. He has the authority to justify a person. When God justifies a person, they are free from condemnation. In Hawthorne's classic, "The Scarlet Letter," a woman accused of adultery was condemned. She was cast out of church and her community. She was forbidden from talking with others and had to wear the letter "A" on her clothing when she went out in public. Like her, we were all condemned because of our sins. We were cut off from God, and suffered from guilt and shame. We were destined to die, face judgment, and go to eternal condemnation. Those under condemnation have no hope. Whether rich or poor, beautiful or plain, educated or not educated, elite or outcast, they have the same destination unless they receive God’s justification. To be justified by God is no small matter. It is a matter of eternal life rather than eternal death.
How can we be justified by God? Is it possible by observing the law? Is it possible by human effort? No! Absolutely not! Trying to become righteous through observing the law is like someone stuck in quicksand. Those who fall into quicksand sink more quickly as they struggle to escape. The only way to get out is to receive help from someone else. And that is what God did. While we were helpless, our merciful God provided a way out through Jesus Christ. Those who accept Christ are saved. God not only saves us from our desperate situation, he makes us his precious children. We can now call God "Father!" Our Father protects us, provides for us, disciplines us in love, and raises us in his image. Finally we will inherit God's kingdom. God gives this grace to anyone who trusts in Christ. God justifies sinners freely by his grace through faith in Christ alone. We can only thank God for his grace.
Here we can see the difference between how God sees people and how people tend to see themselves. People classify themselves according to human criteria, such as wealth, gender, social status, ethnicity, education, genealogy, nationality, and so on. They segregate themselves into classes. They are proud of their own class and despise others. However, God sees people differently. To God, all people are sinners who need the grace of forgiveness. There are rich sinners, smart sinners, hardworking sinners, talkative sinners, athletic sinners, educated sinners, handsome or beautiful sinners, and so on. Commonly, all are destined to die for their sins and face eternal condemnation. God shows no favoritism based on human distinctions.

The fact that we are all sinners complicates the matters. Let’s see why. God is holy. In order to be justified by the holy God, without God’s help, we need to meet all the requirements of the law. It is impossible for us to do this by ourselves. Only Jesus could do so. Jesus offered himself as the perfect sacrifice on our behalf. Jesus paid it all through his death on the cross. God provided the way to be justified only through faith in Jesus Christ. So that is why God recognizes only faith in Christ. God sees only two kinds of people: those who have faith in Christ and those who don't. Those who have faith in Christ are God's children and precious brothers and sisters. On this basis, they should love one another and have fellowship together. (especially eating fellowship served up by the church ladies..Hmmm.)

In verses 17-21, Paul shares a personal testimony to explain how he could live by the truth of the gospel. Verses 17-18 are not easy to grasp. Let’s read verse 17 together, “ 17 “If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! “ Simply speaking, Paul is refuting the criticism of the Judaizers towards true believers. They claimed that believing Christ alone for salvation was dangerous, for it fatally weakened a person's sense of moral responsibility. They assumed that people who believed in Jesus would use their freedom as a license to sin. In the book of Romans Paul recognizes and presents their argument by saying, "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" Because, ‘where sin increased, grace increased all the more’" (Ro 5:20). As we listen to other people's life testimonies, we find that those who sinned greatly in the past tend to share the most gracious testimonies. So people think, "Oh! I need to sin a lot in order to receive lots of grace from God." But shall we commit sin in order to increase grace? Some people may say "Yes." But Paul says, "Absolutely not!" In verse 18, Paul explains that if we do this we become transgressors. “If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker.”

In verses 19-20, Paul explained why we cannot go on sinning after believing in Jesus. “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” We can not go on sinning because Jesus changes us on the inside. We become a new creation. We die to the law, and the law cannot rule over us any longer. Instead we live for God. This is God’s grace to us.

We can learn the secret of Paul's success in living by the truth of the gospel. Look at verse 20 again. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." His success was not because of him and his own human willpower. It was not him, but Christ living in him. The same grace is available to us as well. When we accept Christ in faith, he comes into our hearts and unites himself with us. In a miracle of God's grace that is truly real though invisible, Christ's death becomes our death. Christ's burial becomes our burial. Christ's resurrection becomes our resurrection. Since we are united with Christ in this way, we no longer live, but Christ lives in us. Our old selves, that claimed the throne of our lives, have died. Christ now lives in us and has given us a new life. Christ is now the owner of our lives. He is the power source and the captain of our lives. While in the body, we live by faith in Christ, the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. Romans 14:7-8 explains this well. It says, "For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."

Verse 21 is the conclusion of Paul's testimony. It reads, “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” If someone thinks that they can gain their salvation by their own effort, or through some manmade religion or moral code or philosophy, they will nullify Christ's death and set aside the grace of God. If that is the case Jesus suffered and died for nothing and all of God’s redemptive work throughout the millennia was for nothing. But this is not the case. Christ’s death set us free! It is very effective!

Through a study of this passage we deeply understood that we are not made righteous by keeping the law, nor by practicing religious rituals. We are made Christian because we have accepted Jesus' death for our sins and Jesus’ resurrection as our only hope. We died with Christ when we repented of our sins, and we choose to die daily to ourselves and to this world. Jesus loves us so much, regardless if we are Jew or Gentile or a person from any other cultural background. When we know Jesus’ grace our desires are changed. We want to live by faith in Jesus and love and accept all those whom Jesus loves. Let us challenge cultural patterns that run counter to the gospel starting in our own hearts. Let us follow the gospel, and not just social or religious habit or culture May the power of the Gospel enable us to live by faith daily.

Part l: Paul Stood Up For The Truth (11-14)

1. A. How did the circumcision group influence Peter to change his behavior, and what impact did this have? (12–13) B. How and why did Paul rebuke him publicly? (14) C. In this case, what does it mean to “act in line with the truth of the gospel”? D. Why was it so important for Jewish Christians to have fellowship with Gentile Christians? (3:26–29)

2. A. Read verses 15–16. How does the gospel apply to both Jews and Gentiles, and what contrast does Paul make here? B. How do people generally understand the term “justified,” and how do they pursue it? C. What does it mean to be justified only by faith in Christ? (Acts 13:38–39; Rom 1:17; 3:24–25)

3. A. How did Paul dispel misunderstandings about those who trust only in the gospel? (17–18) B. Read verse 19. What did he mean when Paul said he died to the law? (Rom 7:4) C. For what purpose? (19b)

4. A. Read verse 20. What does it mean to be “crucified with Christ”? (Rom 6:3–4) B. How was Paul changed from a self-centered to a Christ-centered person? (1Tim 1:13–14; 2 Cor 5:17; Rom 4:7–8) C. How did Christ’s love enable him to live by faith? (20b) D. In light of this, why is it so important to know Jesus personally, not just theoretically?

5. A. Read verse 21. What two ways of living after receiving Christ does Paul contrast here? B. What consequence does Paul mention? C. Why is it important to continue to live by the grace of God?

6. A. How can we live only by faith in the grace of Jesus in our personal lives? B. How can we apply this to the way we relate to others in our field of ministry?